Thursday, November 17, 2011

Shame on those who call themselves Journalists in Thailand

I have just finished reading the tweets from the past 10 hours, I have scanned the posts and articles from Thailands nearly English Language Dailies and am sick.
I grew up and old during the Viet Nam War and served there, in combat from 1968 to 1971. The US Government held a daily briefing for journalists called the "5 o'clock follies."This is basically what Thai officials and other organization do at least once a day, often more, here in Thailand, where it is eaten up and repeated like gospel from those who are breathing insults to a proud profession, journalism.
During the war in Viet Nam journalists possessed a body part missing in Thailand today "Balls" And I include women journalists, like Kate Webb, who had more balls than any so called journalist that I have seen in Thailand in the last 16 years.. And a code of ethics. Before regurgitating information from the government they did what real journalists do, They confirmed what was said and searched out the truth. I have not, heard , seen or heard of, with very few exceptions, a journalist question a statement by any government official during or prior to this flood. When I look back in archives over the past few years and red the statements relative to drought and floods and studies and projects I could almost laugh it it wasn't so pathetic.
The history of this flood and many other events in Thailand should be archived under fiction, unsubstantiated, unconfirmed or even propaganda.
Millions of Dollars, Baht and other currencies have been donated, I have seen the photo ops of the checks being received. Where is the accounting of the disbursement of those funds?
Who is responsible for the reservoirs not being emptied prior to the rains?
How many studies were made and paid for over the past 20 years?
How many evaluated and what were the results?
What, why, where, who, when all words that seem missing from "Thai journalists" vocabulary.
Shame on them and shame on all of us that listen to and read it.

And to those bloggers and others in the world who present clear,confirmed insightful information and thoughtful opinion Thank You!